A Victorian silver armorial tray presented to Brig. General Sir Bertram Portal, 17th Lancers,

A Victorian silver armorial tray presented to Brig. General Sir Bertram Portal, 17th Lancers,  of rounded form with a bracketed, gadrooned rim with eight scallop shells, raised on three feet, incised with a central armorial on the front and on the reverse ‘Presented to Capt. Portal, 17^th Lancers, on his marriage April 12^th 1899 by the servants of Malshanger’.  Marks for, Charles Boyton, London 1898.

This lot is accompanied by a book on this great man by Richard Waldram. ‘Brigadier General Sir Bertram Portal, 1866-1949’, 28th November, 2021.

Footnote: The arms are for Portal impaling Littleton for Brig. General Sir Bertram Percy Portal, KCB, DSO (1866 – 1949) who married Hon. Margaret Louisa Littleton (1869-1945) on the 12th of April 1899.  Sir Bertram was educated at Wellington College, Crowthorne and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Berkshire. In 1885 he gained the rank of officer in the 17th Lancers. He held the office of Aide-de-Camp to the Governor of Madras between 1896 and 1898. He fought in the Boer War between 1899 and 1902, where he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the South African Medal with three clasps and the King’s Medal with two clasps. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) in 1902.  He was Lieutenant-Colonel and Brevel Colonel of the 17th Lancers between 1903 and 1907.  He held the office of Deputy Lieutenant (D.L.) of Hampshire. He fought in the First World War, where he was mentioned in despatches. He was Commander of the of the Cavalry Brigade between 1916 and 1918.  He gained the rank of Honorary Brigadier-General in 1919. He was chairman of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Territorial Army Association between 1925 and 1938 and held the office of County Councillor (C.C.) for Hampshire between 1932 and 1942.  He was appointed Knight Commander, Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) in 1937.